STAYNER - On Saturday the Stayner Heritage Society held a special presentation in conjunction with Remembrance Day at the Jubilee Presbyterian Church.

One hundred tickets were sold to the well-orchestrated event.

Prior to the reception of retired 30-year Canadian Armed Forces sergeant Tony Beresford, guests were treated to a continental breakfast, musical entertainment and the poignant readings of Stayner residents Kaye Broadhurst and Joan Wood.

The event began with the playing of the last post trumpeted by Don Doner, followed by a minute of silence.

Scott Johnson performed two self-written songs entitled "Then and Now" and "Seeds of Freedom", citing that the lyrics reflected moments of his life.

Teacher Kay Broadhurst then gave a humorous account of her mother's experience as a war bride.

This was followed by retired teacher Joan Wood's moving memories of her Armed Forces enlisted family members.

Toronto Speakers Bureau representative Tony Beresford then took to the microphone.

Windsor native Beresford began his military career as a Royal Canadian Sea Cadet.

In the Armed Forces, he spent 30 years with far spread operational duties in the land, air and sea divisions. These included: fisheries patrol, search and rescue, aid to civil power during Quebec ice storm, NATO, the Bosnia mission, development of the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) fleets and United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC.) Beresford was a member of the Special Service Force and was also involved in the pre-deployment preparation of the Persian Gulf War Canadian field hospital.

The UNTAC mission involved 240 Canadian soldiers entering as peacekeepers. It was the largest UN sanctioned undertaking in which Canada contributed to become a delegated authority, taking over the Cambodian military and government. Many of the Canadian peacekeepers were bilingual, aiding in communication with French-speaking residents during the often-dangerous mission of transporting supplies.

According to Beresford, Cambodia is the country with the largest concentration of landmines. Among other duties, Beresford was deployed as camp electrician and maintained the prototype air-droppable reverse osmosis water purification device.

Beresford retired four years ago from the regular forces of the Canadian Army due to injury, but continues an active training role at CFB Borden.

He and his family reside in Wasaga Beach where he continues to be called upon as an educational speaker for the Cambodian mission, as well as a bugler for various military ceremonies.